CAUSE OF RUSTING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 302, 16 August 1932, Page 2

CAUSE OF RUSTING

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Most motorists at one time or another have noticed how prone metal parts of cars and trucks are to rust when a patch of enamel or paint has been koncked off, and the cause of the rust is usually regardsd as chemical action of the oxygen in the air on the unprotected iron. According to the statement of an English scientist, who is an authority on many technical subjects associated with the automohile, th 3 frequency with whieh rust appears on a car is attributable in part to electricity. Ilis theory is that the "earth return" electrical system on automobiles materially helps to rust any unprotected iron or steel parts, and for that reason should be modified or replaeed by the double wiring system. It appears that when any two metals among those used in automohile construction are placed in a certain sequence, and electrical current takes place in one of the two metals when unprotected by paint or grease. Ile contends that the single wiring electrical system now in general use, and in which' the current from any component, such as a headlamp, has to return to the negative terminal of the battery through the metal frame of the cax*, causes rust. He suggests that if the single wiring system must be retained on the score of economy or simplicity, all "returns" should be brought to one member of the chassis, say, the channel girder of the frame, so that on joints would be encountered by the electrical current in its journey back to the battery.